I ran this morning, past decorations and lights, yard-sized nativity scenes and plastic reindeer on roofs. My mind flickered back to the mall, something seemed similar. Do you remember the story in Mark 10:13-16, when crowds of children were brought to see Jesus?Bunches (the Bible doesn't say how many) of parents brought their children to see Jesus. And not just to see Him, they wanted Jesus to touch them, to bless them. I imagine moms waiting impatiently in line while their rowdy children pressed forward, oblivious to any sense of order. Doubtless, they had heard about this man. Maybe they thought he was magical - he healed people, walked on water, turned water into wine!Every single year, in the crowded center of the mall, hundreds of children cluster around a smiling old man, whom they are told is magical and can fill their every wish - if they are good.Hmmm...that's not so like Jesus.Remember the disciples trying to protect Jesus from the crush? I'm sure they were irritated by snotty-nosed youngsters. They probably noted a few who should be on the "naughty" list and decided it was best to keep them out of Jesus' way. They gently pushed the children backward and told their parents not to bother Jesus.But Jesus stopped them. “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children." Mark 10:14Jesus pulled the children onto His lap, put his hands on them and blessed them. Did you notice what was left out? Jesus didn't ask them, "Were you a good boy?" Instead, His love was accepting, unconditional and extravagant.

Now, let me take some literary license. Children are told that in order to get presents, they must believe in Santa Clause and be good. Obviously, if they don't believe, coal will be their Christmas reward.We don't know if these children were of the decision making age, or if even their parents believed or cared that Jesus was the Messiah. But Jesus didn't question them. He simply opened His arms and blessed them. He explained to the thicker-headed adults that a child-like faith is the key to the kingdom of God. All we must do to inherit eternal life is to believe that: JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. THAT HE DIED FOR OUR SINS, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. THAT HE WAS BURIED AND ROSE AGAIN IN THREE DAYS, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. I urge you, make some noise about the truth of Christmas this year. There are thousands of adults who don't believe - in the only hope for their souls. And Jesus invites them.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The YearWith the kids jingle bellingAnd everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

“Why is it the most wonderful time of the year, mommy?”

“That’s a good question, Payton.” Becky pounded her SUV’s horn six times. “Hey, watch where you’re goin’, buddy! Oh my goodness, people are rude… I guess, Payton, because it’s Christmas time. It’s time when we’re all supposed to be loving and giving.”

“Why do they call it Happy Holiday, mommy? Why do they sing about the bells, mommy?”

“Bells are happy. It’s a happy time of the year.”

As Becky changed the radio station again, another person cut in front of her—this time an elderly woman. Becky slammed on the brakes. “Unreal! These people are crazy… Sorry about that, Payton. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, mommy.”

Do you need help overcoming Holiday Stress? Come out to the Giving Tree Lighting Ceremony in the center parking lot at the Mega-Mall! The Ceremony will be followed by a fabulous Holiday Parade sure to fill you and your family with Holiday Joy!

“Why do they call it Holiday Joy, mommy? I thought this was Christmas.”

“It is Christmas, Payton. I guess we have to be politically correct, or something.” Becky turned into the Mega-Mall parking area. “They can’t say Christmas any more. It’s kind of sad. Okay—it looks like we’re here.”

“Yay! We’re at the mall. Santa, mommy, Santa!”

Wow… this place is packed. “Well, it looks like we’re going to be stuck in this line of cars for awhile.”

Becky changed the radio station again. This line is taking too long. I will miss the Cheap Picture-with-Santa Sale!

…But do you recallThe most famous reindeer of all?Rudolph the red-nosed reindeerHad a very shiny noseAnd if you ever saw itYou would even say it glows

“Why do they sing about reindeer and Rudolph, mommy?”

“Good question. Who knows? You know what, Payton, you sure are a ‘whys’, guy.” Becky poked Payton in the side as they giggled together.

Becky was far enough in line. Finally! She asked one of the officers who was directing traffic a question, “Officer, sir, are there any spots left?”

Payton blurted out, “We wanna see Santa!”

“We are starting to park ya on the grass. It’s a little soft, but it’ll do. Go down that way and hang a-left.”

As a young boy I attended church, but I never encountered Jesus there. My mother took me regularly, but my father stayed behind. I loved my dad and greatly desired to be just like him. As a result, I quickly got the message that church was not important and so I decided to stop going. I immediately entered into life apart from the spiritual and though I prayed the Lord’s prayer every evening, my life was one lived completely apart from Jesus.

Christmas for me had nothing to do with Jesus. I had a vague recollection that it had to do with his birth, but for me it was about getting time out of school and about getting as many presents as possible. I remember opening up the Sears catalog and greedily marking as many gifts as possible. I never got everything I wanted, but I got plenty none-the-less. The big gifts always came from Santa himself. Santa was my hero because he gave me the big present that made me happy. That Christmas morning when I was seven and I awoke to find a new bicycle ready for me to ride was like no other. I rode that bike every day, everywhere my mom would let me go, and I had Santa and my parents to thank for making it all happen.

Years later, in high school, a very good friend introduced me to the Jesus who had been born on Christmas day. It happened on a cold afternoon in January when my eyes were opened to the impact of the baby born in a manger so many years ago. Christmas day that year was like no other that I had experienced before. I was no longer focused on getting gifts, but on giving them. I searched everywhere for the perfect gift to give my family and friends in order to share with them some of the joy that I was experiencing because of the new life that I had because of Jesus.

While Santa had taken a back seat a number of years previously, I now had a new appreciation for him. He represented the spirit of giving and that was a good thing. Yet, I also recognized that even Santa didn’t desire to have first place in the hearts of children and adults everywhere. That place belongs to Jesus, the savior, who was born on Christmas day. Looking back, I so wish I had the heart of the little boy in this video by Becky Kelley. Check it out:

This is a song that l have grown to like. The beat is good and the voice is just excellent. At first this song stirred emotions of sadness within me. Yes we have comercialised Christmas and half the time The birth of Jesus and its meaning is overshadowed by our attempts to please each other. We give each other gifts fogetting the reason behind the season.

Even though such emotions were stirred within me as l listened to this song l also caught a glimpse of Gods immense love for us. He is so thoughtful to our need of him. l can only but imagine what it would be like if wr had to que for him like a photo with Father Christmas. What if we had to buy a ticket to seehim. What if he got fully booked.

Jesus did not want this for any of us. He instead made sure that wr have easy access to him. He made sure that he lives rifht within us. Thst is definetley not too far. He is not difficult to reach. l am always so grateful for his thouhtfulness. We all have access to him wherever we are. His presence is always there with us.

We might lose the plot and forget about him during the commemoration of his very birth but still he remains. l know it makes him sad to see this happen. It is then up to us as christians to spread the real meaning of christmas. First within ourselves, spreading out to our families and friends and all our colleagues. lf everyone tells someone the real meaning of christmad then Jesus will become the centre of attention. He will be there with us as we hustle and bustle.

l love the fact that the lord wrote his word in black and white si that wrcwould not get lost at all. His very thoughhts, his every desire for us, all written in black and white in the bible.

The lord is love and he wants us to share our lives with him.

Merry Christmas to you and remember Jesus lives within us. He wanys us to include him in evry second of our lives.

I am mindful of just how far we are off base when it comes to being the kind of witness that will greatly affect the world that we live in, for I strongly believe that as the people of God we can not change the world that we live in by trying to change others, but we can have a great affect on the world through the change that is wrought in us.

Where is the line to see Jesus? No, it is not in our ability to foretell the future, nor is it our understanding of great mysteries, and all knowledge, No, it is not in our great faith, nor even in our giving to the poor that they shall see Jesus,

Where is the line to see Jesus? For though I have the faith to remove mountains and have not love I am nothing. And though I give all my goods to feed the poor and my body to be burned and have not love it profit me nothing.

Where is the line to see Jesus? It is where it has always been, and can still be seen and heard in the words of Jesus when he said, for by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, those who have truly learned of me, by the love that you have one for another.

I can still hear the words of the master as they roar mightily though out the pages of time saying, for you are the light of the world, a city that sits on a hill and is impossible to hide.

For the greatest sermon, the greatest ministry both now and always can be found and seen In a life that overflows with the love of Jesus.

This is where the line to see Jesus can be found, it can be found in the love that we have one for another. For it is the love that we have one for another that gives meaning to everything that we do, with out love we are no more than a loud noise that has no meaning,

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him.Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:16-17 KJV)

I am mindful of just how far we are off base when it comes to being the kind of witness that will greatly affect the world that we live in, for I strongly believe that as the people of God we can not change the world that we live in by trying to change others, but we can have a great affect on the world through the change that is wrought in us.

Where is the line to see Jesus? No, it is not in our ability to foretell the future, nor is it our understanding of great mysteries, and all knowledge, No, it is not in our great faith, nor even in our giving to the poor that they shall see Jesus,

Where is the line to see Jesus? For though I have the faith to remove mountains and have not love I am nothing. And though I give all my goods to feed the poor and my body to be burned and have not love it profit me nothing.

Where is the line to see Jesus? It is where it has always been, and can still be seen and heard in the words of Jesus when he said, for by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, those who have truly learned of me, by the love that you have one for another.

I can still hear the words of the master as they roar mightily though out the pages of time saying, for you are the light of the world, a city that sits on a hill and is impossible to hide.

For the greatest sermon, the greatest ministry both now and always can be found and seen In a life that overflows with the love of Jesus.

This is where the line to see Jesus can be found, it can be found in the love that we have one for another. For it is the love that we have one for another that gives meaning to everything that we do, with out love we are no more than a loud noise that has no meaning,

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him.Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:16-17 KJV)

Why should the line be to Jesus? Because Christmas came for the sake of Easter. Jesus was born to die and pay for our sins. Because of that I must tie Christmas to that other holiday that is just as wrongly looked. Jesus died for my sins, thankfully to rise to show us He paid for our salvation because He is God, Lord and Savior. He now lives to intercede for us at His Father's right hand and seeks to draw us back to Him, praise His most holy name!

This line reminds me of a scene from the movie, Prince Caspian. Lucy sees Aslan, the character who represents Jesus, in the distance but the others don't. When they ask her why they didn't see him, Lucy gives these answers. "Maybe you weren't looking for him," and later, "Maybe you don't want to see him." Likewise we are not always looking for Jesus to be present in our daily lives and we don’t always want to see him.

Looking for Jesus suggests our dependency on him. It requires us to acknowledge our inadequacies, that we are not as self-sufficient as we thought. It is interesting that of the four children in Prince Caspian it was Lucy that saw Aslan. She was the youngest, the one who was not trying to be mature or assume authority but the one who was most trusting. Somehow we lose this when we become teenagers and adults. I’m sure I did. For some reason I feel the need to impress, sometimes even myself, with my own proficiency. Yet to see more of Jesus in my life, I must cultivate the same child like trust that Lucy had.

Furthermore perhaps we don’t always want to see him. Seeing Jesus is challenging. We may sense his conviction when all we want is comfort. We may sense his calling when all we want is to be left in peace. We may sense his holiness when all we want is to be left in our selfishness. Being in God’s presence changes us and I know I don’t always want to change. Yet he only changes us for our benefit to heal us of our brokenness and free us from our burdens.

How do we see Jesus? We live in 2012 not in Narnia or even ancient Palestine so we certainly don’t see him with our physical eyes but rather with our spiritual eyes. We become aware of Jesus’ presence in our life when we realize he is orchestrating our circumstances and we notice the little coincidences. We notice a bird, a sunset, the laughter of a child and realize that God is behind every blessing. So often I am too busy to notice, too distracted by other concerns to stop and take the time to say thank you, Lord. And when I stop saying thank you, I stop acknowledging his presence and then I stop seeing the evidence of his presence in my life.

If we aren’t looking for him then others won’t see Jesus in us either. The world desperately needs to see Jesus and the only way they will see him is through the lives of his followers. As we seek Jesus, trust him, thank him, others will see Jesus in us.

“Where is the line to see Jesus?”Candles, children, trees, fires, glitter, pretty shopping centres, escalators, people buzzing, mistletoe, Christmas carols, happy faces, Santa, teddies, excitement, tinsel, laughter, beauty, presents, sweets, snacks, meals, snow, rain, sunshine ... all in celebration for the Birthday of Jesus. Every part of the world has its own way of doing this, according to the weather, according to the food they eat, according to traditions, but we all have one thing in common, celebration. Families get together and if they are split, they usually join up with someone else’s warm invitation. Homeless people get hot meals to celebrate with much love. It is a special occasion and people care for one another. Even through quarrels in families ... something happens over Christmas, even if it’s just a thought, a prayer, a feeling. Everybody comes alive ... everybody, even a lot of pets get gifts. Jesus loves us all wherever we are, whatever we are doing. So if we look carefully we will know Him amongst us sharing this wonder of life.Remember the day He was born in Bethlehem, in a stable with Mary, Joseph, the Shepherd and three wise men. He chose to be born in a humble place where it didn’t smell too good, where drunkards passed through and prostitutes rested through the night. But the Star shone and it still shines today. Remember to reflect on the nativity this Christmas day.He lived with us in the flesh and died on the cross but rose after 3 days and still lives with us today. Do you see Him? Do you see Him in this beautiful life story from birth which we celebrate? Where is the line to see Jesus?Jesus said, “Every knee shall bow” and we will and we do, even if we don’t know it.Step on this merry go round and have a wonderful ride of love, giving, sharing and receiving ... it won’t make you giddy because it’s the real thing, it’s life, it’s Jesus, it’s who we celebrate. Merry Christmas!

Lines wait the grocery store, lines pause at the gas station, lines configure in the cafeteria, lines form to vote and all other lines in human contact are ever with us.

Lines of traffic on the highways, lines on Grandma’s face, lines on notebook paper, and lines at the ice cream stand.

Lines that define our lives, lines we will not cross, lines drawn in the sand, lines we try to avoid.

And, yes, during the Christmas season, there are lines to see Santa Clause. We encourage our babies and children to sit on his lap and tell him their deepest desires, their wish lists of things they feel they can’t live without. And then, we try to fulfill their dreams, since a single Santa cannot be everyplace at once. Sometimes their dreams are so out of reach, so impractical, so expensive, or so grandiose, they are disappointed on Christmas morning that the one thing they wanted most is absent. And, we try to explain why Santa was too busy or too tired or too far away to give them their deepest wish.

There is yet another line that we cannot physically see and that is the line Jesus Himself is standing in, leading to each and everyone’s heart’s door. Short or long lines, crooked lines, straight lines, fat lines and thin lines--each person’s line is as different and unique as his/her own self, filling the space between the human and the divine--with possessions, attitudes, idolized people in our lives, bad habits, and the things we value most. And Jesus, ever patient, stands there at the end of each line, waiting for us to welcome and reject the ones in front of Him before finally accepting His entry.

You see, there aren’t any lines to see Jesus in the mall because no one needs to stand in line to see Him. Each of us stands before him separately and immediately at our barest whisper of a prayer. He is ever present, ever powerful, ever wise; and, unlike Santa, is, as the center of the universe, everywhere at once, listening to each heart’s cry as if it was the only one and granting the deepest desires of any heart willing to believe in and obey Him.

Human lines, the lines we can visibly see, are ever present in the physical world and provide the means to teaching us patience. But these lines are not the real thing. It is the lines we cannot see that are real. What a topsy-turvy existence we live! The unimportant things (that can be seen) are valued, while the important things (that can’t be seen) are too often ignored. We spend our lives on the mundane when we should be investing them in the eternal.

“I don’t want to die. I just want to see Christmas.” I put down the newspaper and cried. A first grader had spoken the words as she huddled in a bathroom with her classmates and teacher in fear of the gunman stalking the Sandy Hook elementary school. She was spared and would live to see Christmas while twenty other students and eight adults in the school would not.

Oh, dear Jesus, how your comfort is needed. As I searched for words to pray, the lyrics of a song I recently heard came to mind. The song – "Where’s the line to see Jesus?" - was inspired by a child wondering why there was a line to see Santa, but not Jesus. I was struck by how those words cut to the core of the essence of what Christmas should be. The lyrics joined in tandem with the words of the schoolchild. Oh, how we all need to see Christmas - and the Christ of Christmas – Jesus. I wept again.

How had we come this far? I thought back to that first Christmas when shepherds had one quest in mind – to find the manger where the Christ child lay so they could worship him. I, on the other hand, along with thousands who profess to know and worship Christ, had just spent a whole day shopping for gifts to give to people on a day that was Jesus’ birthday, not theirs. The only line I looked for was the shortest at the checkout.

But, these two little children – unencumbered by the culture, blessed with transparent honesty – were unafraid to speak their hearts. I was ashamed. I had become caught up in the web of political correctness, of “holiday hysteria”. I had succumbed to making Christmas about cultural trimmings. I decorated a tree with little thought of One who died on a barren tree for me. I carefully wrapped presents in bright colors for my children while the mother of my Savior had humbly swaddled the Son in common cloths. I graced our mantel with figures of the nativity, yet I shrank from speaking to unsaved friends about the centerpiece of it – the Gift that would give them eternal life.

Was there ever a time such as this when we – when I – need to see, really see Jesus? Children seek Him – looking for Him amidst terror-filled moments or among frenzied shoppers and Santa-seekers. And He is eager to reveal Himself to all who seek Him. I picture those Sandy Hook children seeing Him face-to-face in heaven, while their grieving families here seek His comfort. I see the boy who asked where the Jesus’ line was, seeing Him and discovering Emmanuel – God with us – ever present in the hearts of all who believe.

How wonderful to see CHRISTmas, to see Jesus, to worship Him, to share the reason for His coming, to be moment-by-moment aware of His presence. LORD, please let my eyes and heart be those of a child - to always see You.

My daddy told me that Christmas is all about Good News. I love to tell good news. When my teacher gave me a note to take home that said, “Amy is improving about talking too much in class,” I ran all the way home ‘cause I knew that would be good news for my parents.

Daddy said that really was good news, but the Christmas Good News is even better—that you came to the world from heaven to be our Savior. Then he told me about the first Christmas when Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem and there wasn’t room for them anywhere, so they had to sleep in a stable with the animals.

Daddy said that when you were born, they laid you in a manger, and that’s a trough for the animals’ food. He said there were shepherds that came to see you, and angels above the stable, singing “Joy to the world, the Lord has come,” and some wise men, following a star, who came and brought you presents. I wondered what you did with those presents ‘cause they didn’t sound like babies’ toys to me.

In our Christmas program at church, I wore my new red dress, and we sang about the baby, away in a manger. The song said the cattle were lowing, and I don’t know what that means, but I bet it was loud ‘cause the baby woke up, but he didn’t cry. My daddy has told me stories about miracles you did, and this must have been one of them ‘cause when my mama brought my baby brother home from the hospital, he cried all night long, and we didn’t even have any cattle lowing.

Daddy said Christmas is for celebrating your birthday. He said we get presents to remind us that you are God’s Son and his present to the world. He said when you grew up, some mean people beat you with a whip and nailed you to a cross to die for all our sins, even the ones of the mean people who killed you, and three days later, you came back to life, just like you had promised, and then you went back to heaven, and because of that, when we ask you to forgive our sins, we get to come to heaven after we die to be with you forever and ever. Thank you, dear Jesus, for that Good News.

My mama says that lots of people don’t want to celebrate your birthday at Christmas or don’t take time to. They’re too busy with other stuff to sing “Joy to the World, the Lord has come” or to worship you. It’s kinda’ like when you were born, and they didn’t have room for you. But that’s not me! I’ll have room for you in my heart forever and ever.

Years ago, times were hard for us, we wondered if God abandoned us. My husband was workingone day a week, not earning enough for us to make our house payment, the light bill or even the water bill. Barely, it bought a few groceries for us and our five boys.

Like the men standing in line for food, we scraped bottom to survive. I worked part time, but it too was barely enough. Anytime my sons wanted something special, I shook my head no, then cried inside.

Desperate we had a rummage sale. We took pictures from our walls, sold some expensive dishes my dad gave me. Anything we did not absolutely need, we sold. It broke my heart to part with some of my precious possessions, but my sons needed to eat.

Eventually, my husband was laid off for good. With no prospects in sight, he murmured. "Honey we need to apply for public aid."

I felt we were at the bottom of the barrel to have to beg for help. And applying for public aid was like traveling to a foreign country.

The case worker was rude and demanding. She glared when she perused my husband's work record. "Why would your husband quit a job when so many people are out of work?" Her eyes raised in condemnation.

I glared back. "He didn't quit. He was laid off."

"That isn't what it says here." She glared again, but she did approve us for food stamps. I was grateful, yet ungrateful. Anytime I drew out the food stamps to pay, people glared at me as though I was stealing.

The following weeks seemed relatively quiet. Unable to pay on our mortgage, I still worried. I wasn't surprised when these words came in a letter. "Pay your mortgage payments or we will foreclose."

I cried at the thought of losing our old, but large and perfect for us house. Unable to catch up our payments, we would have to move. My husband drew me close as I cried for what we would lose.

Yet, in the midst of all this loss, we found treasures. Someone sent us a check when we didn't have the money to pay our light bill, a check for the exact amount of the bill. Like everything God does, it was so amazing.

In losing everything, we found that God was our only true treasure. Time after time, he provided food, money, clothes to wear. We also discovered that particular house was a gift, a treasure given for that time in our lives.

If there is a real line to see Jesus, we found it. God allowed us to see all the ways he truly blessed us through all our tribulations, how much he cared. When my husband found a job far away, it was a blessing though it was hard to start over. God allowed us to see that like Jesus, our ultimate gift, he still gives gifts to his children.

anna gregory

Last edited by annagregory on Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:51 am, edited 2 times in total.

It was a hot December day in the city of Melbourne, Australia. A line snaked its way along the front of Myers' department store, then back the other way. Families mainly, and the odd elderly couple or group of teenagers. Everyone was there to see the famous Myer Christmas window displays, a tradition for fifty-seven years. From early November until Christmas a steady stream of people file past the beautiful displays each day.

Months of work go into preparing the animated displays. There is a new theme each year, a storybook, a fairytale or a nursery rhyme. Long before computerized animation there were cobblers who hammered, elves that danced and fairies that flew. Children stood entranced and adults marveled at the intricate details and amazing mechanization. Everyone wanted to linger but there were always others waiting behind willing them to move on so they could have their turn. Parents had to drag their children on to each new window and its entrancement.

Several years ago my friend and her family toughed out the line, saw the window scenes, finally coming to the last window. It was a Disney theme and Disney figures danced, slid, climbed and swung through the scenes, but the last window displayed a nativity scene.

Just ahead of them, a little girl piped up. 'Why's the baby there? Why's there a baby in the Christmas display?'

Her mother turned to her husband and complained: 'Look, they've gone and put x* religion into Christmas again!'

Of course we can see the humor of her comment, but isn't it rather like Christmas today in many places. Jesus is left out of the picture. The crowds queue for the Disney scenes and for Santa but most prefer to leave Jesus out of things. Christmas is tinsel and trappings, presents and parties.

Christmas celebrates the greatest birth in history, the time when God became a tiny human baby to live on earth with the people he created. And he did it for a reason. He had a big plan. His plan was to provide a way for us humans to be reconciled to God, to be made acceptable to God. He did this by dying as a human sacrifice on our behalf.

Christmas is only part of the story but it is an important part. Once people realise Jesus' significance and choose to put him in charge of their lives they want to see Jesus and bow before him as the shepherds and wise men did at his birth. If there was a line of people waiting to see Jesus it would stretch around the world.

As we see queues in shopping malls waiting to see Santa let's wonder "Where’s the line to see Jesus?" and whether we would be in that line.

*The x represents a swear word.

Last edited by yarra on Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:25 am, edited 4 times in total.

Beckey Kelley's video takes me back many years—to 1954. As I close my eyes, I see a young girl seated on the floor in front of the TV, mesmerized by the sight of a transformed Ebenezer Scrooge.

Ebenezer throws open his window and shouts to the boy below, "What day is this, my boy?"

"It's Christmas, Sir," the boy replies.

"It's Christmas!" Scrooge shouts in triumph. "The spirits have done it all in one night." Then Scrooge invites the boy to go shopping with him. For his clerk, he purchases a huge Christmas goose with all the trimmings, toys for the children, and a special gift for Tiny Tim.

The girl's mouth drops open as she watches the stingy old man joyfully canceling debts owed to him by neighborhood merchants and giving a generous offering to the men he had thrown out of his office the day before. In her spirit, she hears a voice saying, "Someday you will be changed, just like Scrooge." The child was me, and the voice was God.

From that day on, God used many experiences to draw me to Himself. First, I returned to school to find a substitute who loved to pray. Every day she led our class in repeating "The Lord's Prayer. It was also the year the Gideons traditionally gave New Testaments to fourth-graders, so for the first time, I owned a Bible.

Then God spoke to me "through the rocks". Let me explain. In those days people wrote Bible verses on rocks along the highways between our home in Ohio and my grandparents' home in West Virginia. During our trips, I began to read them. "Ye must be born again!", "Repent and be saved!" "God is love." As I thought about their meaning, God would whisper, "You need to be saved!."

From fourth grade to ninth, God kept probing my mind and spirit with questions, like... "If you died would you go to heaven?" "How do you really want to live your life?" "Why don't you go to church?"

In ninth grade I began going to church with a neighbor, (who by the way, had been inviting my parents to church from the day we moved into the neighborhood). When I heard in Sunday school class that Jesus died on the cross for me personally, and that I could have a fresh new start by receiving Jesus as Savior, I knew that I had discovered Ebenezer's secret! He had been "born again".

Six months later, I knelt at an altar on a beautiful spring day and received Jesus into my life. Wow, did He make a difference! From that day on I never felt alone, for he has always been present. He became my purpose for living, my hope for the future, and my strength through every trial. So as watched the video, http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=OE ... &vq=medium", I realized that the "line to see Jesus" for me started in front of the TV with Ebenezer Scrooge.